


My (Imaginary) Boyfriend...

by Jahara



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-04-28 22:25:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14459082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jahara/pseuds/Jahara
Summary: I got a prompt from a facebook group called Destiel Port:  Prompts, Fanfictions, Writings, and such.  From ourmostinexhaustablesourceofmagic.  Dean is meeting his family for lunch and he's been pretending that he's been seeing someone, just to get his parents and brother off his back.  Its not like he's uninterested in finding someone, it's just that he's busy with work and, you know, he has high standards.  Sam calls him and tells him to bring a photo of the person he's seeing. He tries to tell Sam that he doesn't have one but Sam is disbelieving.  "Dean, you've been seeing this guy for 6 months now, you must have ONE photo of him!"  He's sounding a bit curious and incredulous now, so Dean promises to bring one to the family lunch.  Shit! What's he going to do now?!  The only thing he can do. Grab a random stranger on the street and ask him to take a selfie with him.  But what if said guy then features on the local news station, saving a couple of kids from a house fire? What if his parents see the news report and want Dean to bring him to their weekly lunch!?  How is Dean going to track him down AND convince him to pretend they've been dating for 6 months!?  Obviously I changed a bit from the prompt.  I hope she likes it.





	1. ... Introduces Himself

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ourmostinexhaustablesourceofmagic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ourmostinexhaustablesourceofmagic/gifts).



> This is my first story on AO3, and my first prompt from Destiel Port: Prompts, Fanfictions, Writings, and such. Credit for the prompt goes to Ruby Curtis-Cowen. Let me know what you all think. Unbetaed currently, but looking for a beta, if anyone is interested.

Dean had just finished showing the Morton Estate when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket.  He pulled it out and saw his younger brother's name flashing on the screen. Thumbing it to decline, he turned to view the young couple and ponder his next move.  They were a newly married couple from old money families. They were younger children, him being the second son, and her being the fourth daughter. As such, the couple wanted to make their mark on society without the influence of the family names or homes.  This estate would be perfect. The large property had a spacious and inviting house with generous guest quarters, and a well-appointed family wing set apart completely. It had charm and history in its vast forested grounds, small stables, pool (complete with pool house), and detatched employee housing.  It would be perfect for entertaining and networking as well as for hosting lavish retreats. Bingo! That was just the angle to get the property off his listings! Now he just had to seal the deal. He put on a large smile and approached the husband. 

"Mr. Covington, I think this estate is the one for you.  It has business potential, history, charm, and endless possibilities for entertaining.  Just picture it: the fireplace roaring, the air filled with the scent of roasting meat, men and women laughing, costumes glittering like jewels in the soft light of the dancing flames."  Right. It was supposed to be their fantasy, not his.  He mentally regrouped. 

"Or maybe the chandelier lit brightly, with diamonds sparking from the eaves and bannisters, as black tailcoated waiters pass hors d'oeuvres and champagne freely while a little string quartet plays in the corner.  Ballgowns twirl merrily, like shining jewels, against the crisp black tuxedos of their dates." Dean paused for a moment to build the anticipation. He could see the vision unfolding behind their eyes and the small smiles on their faces. This sale was his!  Now to push it over the top to guaranteed!

"The the music stops and the guests fall silent as you, Mrs. Covington, appear at the top of the grand staircase.  Mr. Covington arrives to escort you. He reaches his hand up to meet you as whispers break out furiously below you.  Women envy your beauty; Men are jealous of your relationship; Everyone wants what you have together. You represent the whole package; the American Dream!"  Faces flush with excitement at the life Dean had painted for them, the couple shared a small kiss and turned to the realtor with hands joined, a united front, a team.  Mr. Covington extended his free hand. 

"Mr. Winchester, let's talk terms!"

 

♡♡♡

 

Dean's phone buzzed again as he waved to the departing Lexus as it bounced merrily down the driveway.  He took it from his pocket, eager to share the good news with his brother.  
"Heya, Sammy!" Dean greeted.  "What's up?"

"Don't call me Sammy."  Sam corrected automatically.  "Did you forget about family lunch this week?  We changed it to Thursday because Mom and Dad are leaving for their second honeymoon right after, remember?"  Sam was adamant that Dean would have a mental breakdown if he mentioned their parents sex lives enough times, therefore he brought it up as often as possible.  

"Geez, Sammy, knock it off!" Dean exclaimed, glaring at his phone.  "I didn't forget, I've just been really busy. I just now got approval to put in a bid on the Morton Estate, above asking price even, for the Covington's!  It's going to be awesome! We should be able to close by Tuesday!" He beamed widely as he put in his Bluetooth headset and pushed the button on his keyfob to unlock the small silver Mercedes-Benz M-Class that his Mother insisted he use to show clients.  Apparently, the vintage 1967 Chevy Impala he had painstakingly restored with his Father was too 'blue collar' for real estate. He shrugged as he switched the headset on, and pulled out of the long, tree-lined driveway to begin the short journey from Port Chester to the Bronx, where the office he worked at with his parents was located. "I'll be there, Sammy!  With bells on, Bitch!" Dean finished with glee.

Dean heard a sharp intake of breath, followed by a shaky, "Jerk."

"Knock it off, Sammy!  I don't need to hear you going at it with your girlfriend!  Gross!" Dean yelled into the headset as he left Port Chester behind.

"Actually Dean, it's my fiancée.  I asked Jess to marry me last night and she said yes!"  Sam gave his news with a smile in his voice, as if he could not contain his joy.  "I'm telling Mom and Dad tomorrow at lunch, so be ready for the inevitable poking into your love life, best man!"

"Dude, you know I've been busy with work and trying to do law school at the same time, and finals are coming up so--" Dean started his usual excuses, then when he realized what Sam had called him, he pulled the car sharply to the side of the road and flipped on the hazard lights.  "Did you just call me best man, asshole!?!" He asked as he rested his head on the steering wheel in shock. 

"Like I would ask anyone else, dumb ass!"  Sam shot back. "I know you have a lot on your plate right now, and I wouldn't ask you to do, like all of the normal duties of a best man, but you were my rock growing up, Dean, and I need you here for this, Jerk.  I know you don't do 'chick flick moments'," Dean could practically hear the air quotes in his brother's voice. "But, I need you there with me.  I need you to keep me from being stupid, to keep my temper from getting the best of me, to keep the peace between our families, to make sure they don't go overboard or hijack the wedding, to keep me from getting completely pissed and eloping with Jess, and especially to keep me from being a total groomzilla and attempting to walk away from the best thing in my life. I need you for a lot of things, Dean.  You are my brother and I love you. I will always love you, and I will always need you."  
How in the HELL could he say no to that, even if he wanted to.  Dean bet that Sam was making epic puppy dog eyes at the phone. He sighed and sat up straight in his seat.  "Fine Bitch, but only because I fucking love you, you big dumb moose! Anybody else I say 'fuck it', but you I like."  There was a knock on Dean's window and he jumped. "I gotta go, Sammy."

"Ok, Dean, but being a picture of that guy you've been seeing.  Sounds like it might be getting serious and Mom will probably back off a bit if you have photographic evidence."  With that Dean was left with an open mouth and a ringing dial tone in his ear.  The knock sounded again and Dean turned to look into the bluest eyes he had ever seen.  He fumbled the headset off and threw it on the console as he rolled down the window

"Hi, Officer!  What can I do for you today?"  Dean threw on a wide smile and tried to summon his charm to the surface.  He ended up staring in shock as the man reached in to feel his forehead without saying a word.  "Dude! What are you doing!?!" The man drew back his hand, confused.

"I'm sorry, I assumed you were addled." He explained

Dean scrunched his face in confusion.  "What? Why?"

The man tilted his head as he regarded Dean closely.  "I am wearing turnout gear and there is a large ladder truck behind you with its lights flashing."  When Dean only looked at him blankly, the man stepped back and gestured to himself. "New Rochelle Fire Department.  I am Lieutenant Novak." Dean continued to look blank so the man introduced himself further. "I'm Castiel. I am a firefighter.  Can you tell me your name, sir? Where are you headed?" Cas began to pat his pockets looking for his penlight, concern still etched on his face. 

"Oh!  Dude, no!  I'm okay. I pulled over to be on the safe side."  Dean finally got with it, his shock fading into nothing.  He pulled a cheeky half-grin. "Cas, you said? Nice name." He flirted.  Dean really hoped he could get the guy's number or at the very least his station house.

"You pulled over to be safe; nothing is wrong?" The man, Cas, asked, his head tilted adorably. 

"Yes, Cas," Dean purred, causing Cas to blush prettily across his cheekbones.  "My kid brother told me he got engaged last night and just asked me to be his best man!  I pulled over so I wouldn't wreck or anything." Dean explained the situation excitedly then gave an exaggerated wink that caused Castiel's blush to spread to his ears and what Dean could see of the other man's necks.  "I'm Dean. Dean Winchester of Winchester Realty." He gave his best 'I'm adorable!' smile, then realized what else Sam had told him and Cas watched as his smile fell and he paled considerably.

"Dean!  What's wrong?  What happened?"  Cas asked as he moved towards the open window once more.  

"I'm fine.  I just realized that I told my family I've been dating this imaginary guy for like 6 months and now they want a picture.  I am so screwed!" Dean ran his hand over his face and into his hair again. "I don't even know why I am telling you this," he muttered under his breath.  Dean could only stare in horror as Cas threw back his head and laughed heartily. "Dude, screw you! I'm gone!" Dean moved to roll the window up. How dare some stranger judge him, hot or not! 

"Dean, wait!" Cas called as he put his hand out to prevent the window from moving.  "I only laughed because I did the same thing and my family wants pictures too." He turned to the firetruck behind them and pointed.  "That is my brother, Lucifer, in the front seat and my other brother, Gabriel, driving." He waved and made a face at them when Lucifer pointed to his watch.  Dean dumbly waved as well then turned back to the firefighter. "I know!" Cas exclaimed. "Give me your cell phone; we'll be each other's boyfriend!" Dean handed over the small device and smiled as they posed together.  He waited while Cas sent the picture to himself. Cas took a moment to enter the contact in his phone: Boyfriend - Dean ;)!

Dean looked at the man in consideration.  "You know Cas, your brothers are right there.  They are not going to believe that we have been dating for almost 6 months if you just walk away."  Dean pulled out his most charming smile, guaranteed to make people swoon, and batted his eyelashes at the firefighter.  Cas considered this with another head tilt. He came to a decision quickly with an abrupt nod and pressed himself into the door so that he could reach his head inside the car.

With their faces close enough for their breath to mingle, Cas whispered into Dean's lips, " Can't have that, now can we?"  He smirked and locked gazes with the trapped driver. The sudden and loud sound of the firetruck's horn caused both men to jump.  Cas hit his head on the roof of Dean's car. "Shit!" Cas cussed, holding his hand to sensitive bump. He turned to glare at his laughing brothers.

"Fuck! I hate your douchebag brothers, Cas!"  Dean proclaimed as he squirmed in the driver seat.  Cas let out a small chuckle as he turned back to Dean and let his face soften.

"Text me when you get home and we can compare notes, Dean.  Get our stories straight. Maybe we can even get together and take some more pictures sometime." Cas said as he pushed away from the car door.

"I'd really like that, Cas"  Dean said softly, as though he couldn't believe it was real.  "See ya, Castiel.” Dean said as he rolled up the window and started the car with a wave.  Cas watched as Dean disappeared into the flow of traffic, then turned to face the music with his brothers.


	2. ...Goes All In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys tell their families about the picture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger at the end, but not to worry; the boys will be fine. Feedback is appreciated.

Castiel was surprised his brothers had kept quiet through the ride to the station house and even until the groceries were put away and the crew drifted off to their own tasks. Lucifer motioned with his head to his office. As the Captain, Lucifer was entitled to his own space for paperwork and meetings, but it was really Cas who did all the paperwork. 

Cas made sure the incident reports were all filled out and coordinated by call, he made the duty rosters, made sure each of crew members were up to date on their certifications or scheduled them to make it that way. He kept the time sheets and the In Case of Emergency (I.C.E.) sheets up to date. He trained all the new personnel, kept budget reports, and even made sure each firefighter completed their mandatory community outreach hours in the best manner for everyone involved. 

Lucifer let anyone who wanted to use the computer in the office, but heaven help anyone who touched the filing cabinet or the in / out boxes. Castiel was known to torture anyone who made jokes in reports or wasted his supplies or time intentionally, but other than that he was a laid-back guy.

Lucifer usually just used the office when they had visitors to impress or when he wanted to intimidate someone in an oblique way. Gabriel used the office to store his massive collection of candy, as his wife would not let him have any at home. Kali definitely wears the pants in that relationship.

As expected, Lucifer made himself comfortable behind the wide desk as Gabriel leaned casually against one of the corners. Gabe crossed his legs as Lucifer leaned back in the swivel chair as far as he could.

“Are we filing an incident report on the car on the side of the road, or are we just busting Cassie for misuse of Government property?” Gabe joked.

“Good question, Gabe. How about it Cassie? I thought you had that guy you've been seeing for a while now. How is he going to feel about you kissing some random stranger on the side of the road?” Lucifer folded his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow in challenge.

“Come on, guys! Leave it alone!” Cas begged, his face beginning to turn red with his embarrassed blush. “We have to file an incident report even in cases of non need or false alarms, you know that.” He glared at his brothers in annoyance, but they just laughed at him.

“Or maybe the guy kissed him!” Gabe chuckled. “You must have the most secure boyfriend in the world. You kiss other people, he doesn't text you constantly, he doesn't get all bent out of shape when you go out with the guys after shift! I'm beginning to suspect that this mystery boyfriend doesn't exist!”

“Well, Cas? Is Gabe right? Because you haven't told us much about him at all. We don't know what he does for a living, what he looks like, or even what his fucking name is! Then you blush and flirt with whoever was in that car. All you said was he pulled over as a precaution, but you don't laugh like that with anyone you haven't known for years. It's just not adding up here, Cas.” 

Lucifer started out joking, but by the end of his tirade, his voice was raised and his face troubled. Gabriel folded his arms over his chest as well and the two older brothers just stood and waited for Castiel to break. They knew he would; it was a tried and true method. Since he was little whenever he was faced with two determined siblings and silence, anything that bothered Cas was quickly made known. This time was no exception.

“I didn't recognize the car, okay? He only drives that one for work!” Cas burst out, as his blush spread across his face to reach the tips of his ears and down the back of his neck, into his shirt.

“Wait, recognize? Why would you recognize the car? Inias was the one who saw it on the side of the road.” Lucifer was a bit confused.

“Cassie, did you know the driver? You dog!” Gabe rubbed his hands together in delight. “Who is he?”

Against all odds, Cas' blush deepened. “Thatwasmyboyfriend,” he mumbled as he scuffed the toe of his boots across the floor.

“I'm sorry, Cassie, you're going to have to speak a little more clearly for me be able to understand you.” Lucifer said, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

Cas stood up straight and took a deep breath, bracing himself for what came next. “That was Dean. He is my boyfriend. His brother got engaged and he was asked to be the best man. He pulled over so he wouldn't crash in his excitement.”

“Dean, huh? Better be good enough for my baby brother.” Gabe said, for once, completely serious. 

“Well, Cassie, looks like you are going to need a tux.” Lucifer chuckled to himself, finally letting the grin he was teasing light up his face. It made him seem many years younger than the perpetual scowl he usually wore.

“A tux, what for?” Castiel questioned. Most weddings, unless you were in the bridal party or a groomsman, you didn't need more than a nice suit.

“So why did you take his phone, in the car?” Gabriel was far too observant for Castiel's peace of mind.

“Well, with his brother getting married, Dean mentioned that his parents were going to be harping about his love life now, and he realized that whenever we are together we get wrapped up in each other and we didn't even have a picture to show our families. Dean suggested we take a 'selfie'.” Cas liked throwing finger quotes into conversation whenever he could. It was surprisingly hard to do when not being ironic.

“Ooh, pictures! Gimme, gimme!” Gabe threw himself at Cas, pawing at the pocket he knew his brother kept his cell phone in. Cas pushed him off, and a grappling match broke out, both brothers fighting for control of the electronic device.

“Children!” Lucifer whined in mock despair. “I am surrounded by children!” He waded in the scrap, not caring who got hit with what, just enjoying the camaraderie and joy of being with his brothers.

A blaring alarm interrupted the horseplay, as they were called back to work. “Ladder 45 requested as backup in 5 alarm residential fire in Bronx, New York City.” An automated voice blared, giving the address of a heavily populated area infamous for shoddy workmanship and slum lords.

 

♥♥♥

 

Dean pulled into the parking lot behind the Winchester Realty offices and pulled out his phone. He pulled up the picture Cas took and looked at it. They looked happy, like they could actually be a couple. He found the number the firefighter had sent his copy of the picture to and went to save it to his contacts; but, found the sneak had already done it. 'Lt. Novak, Castiel' the entry read. Dean smirked at the screen. That guy was so endearing sometimes. It was like he couldn't read social cues, or he just didn't care. He changed it to Cas Novak – BF/Lt. He went through and filled out as many sections as he could. Anticipation filled him as he thought of getting to know Cas enough to fill in the empty little lines that taunted him.

Dean was startled out of his musings by yet another knock on his window. “Son of a bitch!” He swore as he dropped his phone between his feet and jumped. He turned to glare out the window, but his gaze fell upon the gorgeous countenance of his mother. She merely raised an eyebrow and waited for his bad mood to pass.

“Hi, Mom” Dean said sheepishly as he opened the door and put his arms around her in a hug. He bent down to retrieve his phone and followed the woman into the cool interior of the office.

“Hey ya, Charlie! How's it going?” Dean lagged behind his mother to talk to his best friend, Tech/IT Goddess, and the receptionist of WR as she packed up for the day. “We still on for game night, Friday? I'm making my famous lasagnas!”

The red haired spitfire let out a moan of anticipation. “You are going to make me fat, Dean Winchester. Make me some of your awesome chocolate cherry Merlot brownies and I will marry you and have your ugly elven children,” Charlie tried to bargain.

Dean threw back his head and laughed with his whole body. “Wrong teams for the both of us, babe.” He waved and watched her close down the office, then continued through the lobby to his Mom's office where she was waiting for him.

“Guess who gets to put in a bid on our oldest listing, above asking price even?” Dean asked as he wiggled his thumbs at himself and shook his hips a bit as he celebrated like he wanted to since Sam called.

“Oh, baby! I am so proud of you, sweetie! The Covingtons want to buy the Morton Estate? That is fantastic! That listing was our very first one. Goodness gracious! You were only four years old when we moved here. Little Sammy, only six months. After the fire, when we lost the old house and my Auntie Josephine left us the business and the house here, it was just sitting in trust waiting for us. Nobody wanted that place. Nothing wrong with it; not expensive, big. Still it sat. But now my baby is selling it! Congratulations, Dean!” Mary Winchester could not help herself. She grabbed her son close and trapped him in a hug. She gave him a big smacking kiss on his cheek and rocked him back and forth.

“Mom! Geez! I haven't even put the bid in yet! Quit going sappy on me! You know I hate chick flick moments!” Dean whined and moaned, yet he did not even try to pull away or stop the praise.

“I just want you to know that I am very proud of all that you are doing to take over the business someday. Getting a law degree and focusing on property and contract law will allow the business to grow so much. Plus I get to work with you every day! My life is almost perfect!” She finally released the blushing man, but kept hold of his shoulders. “Now all I need is you and Sam to settle down and give me lots and lots of grandbabies!” she proclaimed with sparkling, slightly shiny eyes.

“Mom!” Dean cried again.

“So do I ever get to meet this mystery man of yours, Dee?” She asked as she made her way over to her desk and sat down to turn on the computer. “Or are you just going to keep saying soon? I don't even know his name! Give me something, kid!” Mary admonished, slightly teasing.

“How about a picture?” Dean asked, once again pulling out his phone. “We were talking and Cas told me that his brothers were pushing his buttons. They kept saying 'pictures or it didn't happen'. The jerks. It's not our fault we keep getting caught up in each other and forget about, like, everything else around us. Dude has the bluest eyes ever, Mom.” Dean found the photo and handed his phone over. “He's awesome, Mom.”

Mary studied the picture on the screen in front of her. It was a simple picture in the front seat of Dean's work vehicle. Two faces pushed close together, but they both had wide, gummy smiles and dancing eyes. Their eyes were tracking the other, and they looked happy. It was happier than her son looked in years. The other man was wearing weird clothes, though.

“What in the world is he wearing, Dean?” Mary laughed, trying to get a closer look. Her nose was almost touching the screen.

“Oh that. Cas is a firefighter. Lieutenant Castiel Novak, New Rochelle Fire Department. He's a goof.” Dean could not keep the smile off his face. This might actually be possible. He needed a few more details, flesh out the story and all that. He just hoped that his Mom didn't ask how they met. He had no clue about that one.

“So Dean, how did you meet this Cas?” Mary asked, as if she were reading his thoughts.

“Well I --” Dean started, slightly panicked, but was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone, still in his mother's hand. She handed it over and he quickly answered the unfamiliar number, grateful for the reprieve.

“Hi there, this is Dean of Winchester Realty, how may I help you today?” He asked, ready for anything (or so he thought).

“This is the Jacobi Medical Center. We have a Kuh-Steel Nurvak here in our burn center.”


	3. ...Saves the Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean makes it to the hospital and sees some familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the evil cliffhanger. Real life interrupted in a big way. I meant to post right away, but c'est la vie.

“This is the Jacobi Medical Center. We have a Kuh-Steel Nurvak here in our burn center. You are listed in his phone as his boyfriend and I.C.E. contact. We need --” Dean cut the annoying woman off. She couldn't even say Cas' name right. They had to go through his phone to find someone to call. That was so not a good sign.

“How is he? Is he okay? What happened?” Dean fired off questions tersely. Dean didn't know why the firefighter listed him as his In Case of Emergency in his phone, but right now it didn't matter. If Cas needed him, he would be there. Dean started out of the office without a word to his mother.

“Mr. Winchester, as I said before, Lt. Nurvak is in the burn center. We cannot give any information out over the phone, but his condition is stable and he is expected to be fully ambulatory when he wakes.” The woman tried to reassure Dean, but all it did was bring up more questions he knew she could not answer. As he left the office, he was peripherally aware of his Mom setting the alarm and locking the door behind them.

“Listen, I'm not far. I'll be there as soon as I can.” Dean promised. He hung up the phone and raised his keys to unlock his car. He forgot all about the button on the key fob because the Impala didn't have one. The small tremor in his hand became more pronounced as he tried again and again to insert the key into the lock. Frustrated, he didn't hear his Mom come up behind him. He started when her hand covered his and she helped him turn the key.

“Baby, why don't you let me drive you? You are in no shape to do it yourself.” Dean laid his forehead against the cool glass in front of him. He hated when other people drove his cars, but if it got him to Castiel faster, he would ride an elephant in a monsoon.

“Yeah, Mom. Please? He's at Jacobi Medical Center.” He rounded the car to the passenger side. He opened the door and flung himself into the seat like a petulant child. After buckling his seat belt, Dean put his head into his hands and considered praying to a God he wasn't sure he believed in.

♥♥♥

The sliding glass doors of the emergency room opened with a quiet 'whoosh' when Dean approached. He might not know Castiel Novak very well, but that didn't mean that he was going to let the firefighter down. He quickly found the triage desk where nurses guarded the rest of the emergency medical facilities like dragons protecting their hoard.

“I need to find out about Castiel Novak. I got a call. They told me to come. He is in the burn center or something? He's a firefighter.” Dean was nervous about this whole situation. In fact, he was rapidly approaching panic.

As Dean explained the situation, he heard a hush come over the waiting room. Three men broke away from a large group off to the side of the triage desk to form an arc, trapping Dean. Hastily scrubbed faces and turnout pants let Dean know that these were Cas' work buddies. They had obviously been here for a while because there were bottles of water, small packets of nuts, and candies being passed around the group freely.

“You Dean?” the shortest of the three asked, arms folded against his chest. He tilted his chin and glared defiantly at Dean. The other two flanked the short man. They moved closer to him when he spoke, and for the life of him, Dean could not figure out if it was in support of him, or they were preparing to hold him back for some reason.

“Yeah, dude, that's me. You Lucifer or Gabriel?” Dean could only stare as the three men exchanged meaningful looks with each other. He and Sammy could do that too. Sometimes they could have entire conversations with just their eyes. Now was so not the time for this! Cas needed him! “Actually, it so does not matter right now. I have to find Cas.”

“They wouldn't let us see him. They said he changed his I.C.E. contact and we had to wait for you. We are his brothers! We are family! We heard about you, but he didn't even tell us your name until right before the call out! Who the hell are you, Dean?” About to lose his temper in a big way at the short man, Dean was relieved to see a familiar face come into view.

“Hey! What in the hell do you all think you are doing?” A strong voice rang out over the chaos they were creating. A wide-set woman in purple Scooby Doo scrubs put her hands on her hips and surveyed them all with displeasure. She was a beautiful mocha skinned woman of middle age with curly black hair worn to her chin, but pulled away from her face with two tiny barrettes. Dean would know that voice in his sleep. Ms. Missouri Moseley lived next door to his parents for most of Dean's life. She babysat him on 'date night', taught him how to bake, and even helped him when he got certified as a life guard in high school.

“This is a hospital! People are here because they are sick, or hurt. They do not need your unruly yelling and hollerin'. So kindly keep it down!” The tiny woman hissed at the ring of men towering over her and gave them her best glare. “And you, Dean Winchester! You should know better than to behave like this! I am very disappointed!”

Dean's mouth dropped open in shock. “Wha--?! Miz Missouri! This is so not--!”

“Uh-nuh, child! Don't you start that with me, now boy! I know what you're like.” She closed the distance between them and pulled him, protesting, into a hug. “Now, since I know you didn't come to visit little ol' me,” she glared a bit at him as she let him go and patted his arm to let him know things were okay between them and continued. “You just tell Nurse Moseley why you're making all this racket.” The hands had returned to her hips, and Dean knew there was no way this was going to end without him promising to stop by and visit her sometime soon.

“ I need to get to the burn unit, Miz Missouri!” Dean was still very loud, so she flapped her hand to signal him to lower his volume.

“Oh lordy, child! Is it Sammy? Are your parents okay? Bobby? Jess?” As she listed members of his family, Dean shook his head in the negative again and again. He kept trying to tell her about Cas, but she had taught him the perils of interrupting her at an early age. His mother came in the outside doors and was spotted by Missouri immediately.

“Mary, darlin'! So you know why this knuckle-headed son of yours wants in the burn center? He says everyone is okay, but he is all sure-fired, hell bent about getting back there.” She asked.

Mary shot Dean a look of exasperation. “Apparently Dean has a secret boyfriend and an aversion to sharing that information with his family. Well, he told Sam, but that doesn't count.” Mary kissed the shorter woman on the cheek as she turned both Dean and Missouri towards the hospital proper and gave them a small push to get them going. “We will all talk about this later, but his firefighter is in the burn center and they wouldn't tell him anything on the phone. He is a bit of a mess right now, Miz. Take care of him and I will take care of this,” she called over her shoulder as she turned to the fire crew and the elder Novak siblings.

“We just want--” the short man between the two slightly taller men started, only to be cut off by Mary's curt gesture. He started to fold his arms defensively across his chest once more, but was thrown off by Mary's wide, open smile.

“Let's start with introductions,” she beamed. “I'm Dean's Mom, Mary Winchester of Winchester Realty.” Despite her warm demeanor, those gathered were filled with a sense of unexpected dread.

Mary's voice faded as Missouri led Dean down corridors and hallways that twisted and turned as she prattled on about things in her life she thought he should know about. If anyone asked about what she said on that time bending walk to the burn unit, Dean would never be able to tell you. Missouri's voice was a low and constant buzz in his ears, her hand a steady and calming weight on his bicep. After what seemed like forever and no time at all, they arrived at a circular desk in front of sliding glass doors that opened with an access code and a key card.

“Meg dear, this is Dean Winchester. He needs to see someone in there. His boy is a firefighter. Dean is mine, so you take care of him, you hear?” With a final pat to Dean's arm and a promise to come over for pie sometime soon, Missouri went back to the emergency room she ruled with a velvet covered iron fist.

“Dean, huh. You must be here for Clarence. Brave man, that Clarence. He saved six little kids in one trip from the top floor right before the entire building collapsed. He's a hero, you know that Dean?”

Dean's mouth had gone dryer than the Sahara Desert. Cas had really saved all those kids at once? How was that possible? Wait! She said Clarence. That must be someone else. It was not the same voice that called him on the phone earlier, either. “I think you have the wrong file. I am here for a Castiel Novak, not Clarence.”

The woman eyed him like he was a really slow child who only spoke Chinese or something. “We only have one firefighter in the burn unit right now. Clarence is not a frequent flier, but he does occasionally come during the course of his duties. We're friends. Clarence; you know, 'It's a Wonderful Life'? He calls me Megara, like from 'Hercules'.

Dean had finally reached his limit of both patience and temper. “I don't give a shit if you paint each others nails, braid your hair, and sing kumbuya! Where the fuck is Castiel!” He grabbed the edge of the counter as his chest heaved with the effort of fighting off a panic attack.

“Dude, calm down! Clarence is fine. He wrapped a couple of the kids in his turnout coat while he fought with the window. He has second degree burns on his back, neck, and elbows, with a path of third degree burns with blisters surrounding where the window fell on him as they prepared to jump to safety. He had a tetanus booster. He is not in shock, he is carrying the risk of hypothermia but not hypovolemia. Hypothermia is dangerously low body temperatures. This can seem like an unlikely thing to look for with a burn, but it is actually caused by an excessive loss of body heat from an injury like a burn, so it is actually very common. Hypovolemia, or low blood volume, occurs when your body loses too much blood from a burn. We don't have to worry about that with most of the second degree burns, but the third degree strip and the blisters if they pop could have some bleeding. We have antibiotic crème on the burns and they have been wrapped.” She stood up and slowly walked around the desk towards Dean.

“Can I see him, now?” Dean asked.

“Depends. Can you keep calm? Clarence has done this before, but you are freaking out over small potatoes. Focus on the positive. He has no weeping wounds, a small section of relatively harmless burns, and absolutely no smoke inhalation. So can you put on your big boy pants and stow you crap to get him home?” Meg spare no one's feelings when it came to supporting those who had burns and their continued aftercare.

Dean took a big, bracing breath and thought for a moment about what Meg had told him. If she told him that Cas was going to be okay, then for some reason, he believed her. “I think I can do that. He's really going to be okay?” Dean couldn't help asking for just a bit more reassurance.

Meg slung an arm around his shoulders as she opened the ward and pulled him in. “Clarence and all the good little boys and girls of the burn unit will be fine. Come meet the hero and the ones he saved.”

Dean attempted to duck under her arm and dig in his heels to stop for a moment. “Wait! The kids he saved are here too? Did they get hurt? I thought you said he gave them his coat and that's why he got hurt?”

Meg rolled her eyes and pulled on his arm, slightly dragging him behind her, as she started walking again. “We needed to make sure they weren't burned or had any smoke inhalation and they didn't want to leave Clarence alone. He was actually very useful in showing them that there was nothing to be afraid of here.” She tilted her head in consideration. “I want to say it would be nice to have someone to show people it's okay all the time, but that would mean that I wished someone a burn, and I really don't.” Meg stopped before a curtain. Dean could hear the dulcet tones of innocent children's laughter, the giggles of the duty nurses, and the deep voice of Castiel telling a story.

The corners of Dean's mouth turned up into an involuntary smile. It was the first one since he had received the horrible call a while back. Meg gestured for him to pull back the curtain and apprehension settled uncomfortably in his stomach. Would Cas even want him here? He took another fortifying breath and drew the curtain quickly back before he could change his mind. “Lucy! You got some 'splainin' to do!” he joked, deciding levity was the way to go in front of the kids.

“Dean!” Cas beamed at him. “I am very glad you are here!” He narrowed his eyes and stuck out his bottom lip. “Who is Lucy. I am Castiel. Are you addled again, Dean?” His face lost it's pinched look when the doctor came into the room behind Meg and Dean. “Balthy! This is Dean!” He got off the exam table and put one finger in Dean's face as he clung to the front of his shirt with the other. On the bed across from the first another chorus of laughter and giggles was heard. All the children and the three nurses watching them seemed to be amused by Cas' antics.

Cas turned to the doctor, not letting go of the fabric in his death-grip, causing the shirt to twist a bit painfully. “Tell him the stuffs, Balthy, so I can go home and kiss him!” 

'Balthy' just shook his head and chuckled under his breath. “I already sent the information he needs to his email, called in his prescriptions, and texted his brothers what he needs. He insisted upon calling you, dear, but I have no idea why. We have breakfast every week and he has never mentioned you, but he says you have been dating for quite a while now. Something fishy is going on, but you are his I.C.E. contact. He is on morphine right now and that makes him loopy, so when he gets home we are switching him to Oxycodone – Norco. That does make him a bit libidinous, but no strenuous activity for two weeks, at least.” Dean's face flushed with heat and he made to protest, but the doctor just kept speaking.

“Keep an eye on his temperature, and bring him in if he gets a fever above 101 degrees. Don't submerge the burns for at least five days. You can take the bandages off after three and wipe them with a cloth. Reapply both the crèmes and then redress the affected areas.” He turned to Cas and snapped his fingers in his face to make him focus. 

Cas flinched back from the doctor's snapping fingers and burrowed deep into Dean's warmth. “You can call me if you need help with that Cassie.” All the words got him was a snuffling sound, as Castiel made himself more comfortable against Dean. The doctor sighed and turned back to Dean. “He absolutely loathes having his bandages changed. If you need any help, my number is under Balthazar – M.D. in his phone. Call me. I will come for him.” 

The doctor handed Dean a large, clear bag that looked to contain his personal items; his turnout coat, his helmet, and such. He also handed him a slightly smaller bag with the logo of the hospital on it. Dean looked inside and saw several tubes, a few rolls of medical tape, and many, many sealed packages of gauze.

Meg reappeared to lead them back where they came from. “Let's get you checked out and on your way, boys.” She looked at Cas fondly and began chivying them towards the exit.

“Bye Minis!” Cas shouted and waved at the girls and their caretakers. He tried to make a funny bow, pulling an imaginary hat from his head, but he lost his balance and almost fell. Dean grabbed him and forced the madly cackling hero into a standing position.

“Minnies?” Dean questioned as they reached the circular nurses station once more.

“Mini humans! They are so cute, Dean! Can we get one? How do we get one, Dean? I want a mini human too, Dean, but not the poop factory kind!” Cas caused people to try to stifle their laughter as they passed by. When he had reached the end of his declaration, they had also reached the main emergency room waiting area and his face was a picture of disgust at the mental image it conjured.


	4. ...Takes Charge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Learn more about Cas as he comes home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone know how to post a picture? I have a nice one of the house.

Dean pulled his silver work car up in front of the cute red brick-work house. It looked to be a sturdy turn of the century two story house with a small attic space. It was the type of house Dean loved listing. So much history, beautifully maintained, and lots of windows to let in the natural light. He bet it even had hard wood floors and a claw foot tub! That would be perfect! It had two extensions on either end that looked to be a solarium with many plants, and a game room or a music room (it was hard to tell from the street). On one of the extensions, Dean thought he could see rounded beehives nestled among the riotous mass of flowers that seemed to have taken over. The roof was peaked, with soft grey tiles and had a ventilation exhaust for what looked to be an HVAC or a stove's hood system. Dean could not wait to see the kitchen! It would be awesome. He wondered if Cas would let him make a pie here. 

“Wow, Cas. This is a great house! It is just like my dream house! Like, whenever I picture a place to grow old in, the partner is always vague, you know, but this is almost exactly the house I see. I can't wait to see the inside!” Dean blushed a bit as he realized he was gushing a bit. He ducked his head to his chest as he suddenly had the thought that Cas may not want him to come in. “That is if you want me to come in?” he asked shyly.

Cas snorted indelicately. “Of course I want you to come in, Dean. That was the whole point of you bringing me home.” Cas had been sitting with his back to the door, not wearing his seatbelt because of the pain. Dean had considered letting the burned man lie on his stomach in the back seat, but Cas kept forgetting he was hurt and sitting up. Now Cas turned around so that they both were facing the house.

Pointing to the house, Cas started to describe different parts to the realtor, knowing that the other man would appreciate the walk-through. “On the left is the solarium where I keep the kitchen herbs and the lounge chairs. There is a small table in there, too. Lucifer likes to do his intricate detail work there. It opens to the back deck with the hot tub, and into the kitchen where we mostly cook breakfast and heat up take-out.” Dean chuckled at that and shook his head, lamenting the fact that the kitchen was not more used. The kitchen was central to most of his family memories.

“Next to that is the dining room. It is kinda stuffy, so we usually eat in the solarium or at the kitchen counters. Lucifer bought some stools, so we don't have to sit on the counters anymore though.” Cas had such a serious expression that Dean could not help nodding solemnly. “After that is the living room. It has a huge TV with loads of movies! We have awesome screens for the windows so it can turn into a movie theatre! Even during the day!” Cas gave a huge grin that made Dean smile as well.

“The fun room is after that. It has the piano, the pool table, the guitars, the ping pong table, and all the arts and craft stuff. My parents couldn't decide whether it was a game room or music room, so they called it the fun room. Under the stairs is a small bathroom with a shower. The top floor has five bedrooms: four are one in each corner with a full bathroom between the two on each side and the fifth opposite the staircase with a smaller bathroom to itself. Gabe has the room on the left in the front. Lucifer has the room behind his. Both of their rooms open onto the patio type balcony on the top of the solarium. Gabe usually uses that as his space, mostly for sunbathing. The room opposite the stairs my parents made into a library. It is nice to curl up in the window seat in the sun and read for hours. The back room on the left we use as a guest room, not that we have many guests. It used to be my parents room, so none of us wanted to sleep there all the time. It just didn't feel right.”

Dean reached across the seat to pat Cas somewhat awkwardly on his forearm where he knew there were no burns. Cas shook himself out of whatever memories had grabbed him and leaned forward excitedly. “My room opens to the space over the fun room. I made a rooftop garden for my bees!” 

Hah! Dean knew those were beehives! 

“I planted red clover, tulips, lilies, bluebonnets, violets, iris', azaleas, peonies, colorful poppies, hyacinths, dahlias, and several varieties of roses. I may have gone a bit overboard, but my bees need the best! My babies need the flower food! Pollinators Unite!”

Dean tried to keep a straight face while Cas got louder and louder about the bees. He thought that the medicine was wearing off some because Cas hadn't said anything to weird or personal while telling him about the house. Apparently it was just a reprieve. Gestures were now added to the soliloquy and Dean knew that the firefighter would feel the effects of them when the medicine wore off. He was glad that Cas had a hobby he was passionate about, but he needed to change the subject quickly for his future comfort. “Hey, Cas? What is in the attic there? Do you guys just use it for storage or does it have some other purpose? It seems like it would have a purpose because your parents really took advantage of the available space here.”

“The attic is Lucifer's domain. He likes to make things with his hands. He keeps his tools up there. He calls it his workshop, but Gabe calls it his fiddly space. Sometimes he paints, sometimes he wood-works, sometimes he makes jewelry or pottery, or even knits! We don't really ask what he does in there, we just figure out what to do with what he brings out. Sometimes we save it all up and take it to the Farmer's Market during the summer. We also sell my honey there on occasion.”

Dean nodded his head, impressed. “That is really cool. I would love to be able to do stuff like that, but I have, like zero patience. I bake though. Mostly pies and cookies. I make pretty awesome food, but dessert is where I'm awesome.” He opened his door and poked Cas on the back of the hand. “Let's go inside and you can show me what you've been talking about.”

Cas gave another huge smile and applied himself to opening the door in front of him. Luckily for Dean, he did not manage it before Dean arrived on the other side of the car. He open the door and steadied Cas as he maneuvered to get out of the vehicle without putting any pressure on his injuries. Dean quickly grabbed the bags from the backseat and guided Cas forward. Taking the keys he had been given, Dean opened the front door for his first look at his “boyfriend's” home. It did have real wooden floors as far as he could see. The realtor sighed in pleasure then turned his attention to getting Cas to his room. While the firefighter chattered pleasantly about nothing, they climbed the stairs slowly. Dean took in all the pictures on the walls, the small amount of clutter lying around that let people know it was lived in and not a show house, The house had the clean smell of fresh laundry and lemon cleaning products. All the little details of Cas' daily life were in evidence around them and it made Dean want to know everything he could about the other man.

“You said the room in front over here is yours, right, Cas?” Dean interrupted the babbling to ask as they approached the doorway of what he believed was the right room. Cas stopped talking and simply nodded his head shyly. Dean dropped the bags he had been carrying on the floor inside the door and manipulated their limbs until he was holding one of Cas' hands lightly, the other hand cupping his cheek in an attempt to get the firefighter to focus a bit. Castiel seemed to be on a different wave length because he blushed mightily and leaned into Deans warmth.

“Hello Dean” he drawled, his already deep voice lower than usual. A small smile played on Dean's lips as he removed his hand from Cas' face and took a small step back.

“Heya Cas,” came the reply. “Do you want me to help you wash up a bit and change into some pajamas, or do you just want to rest for a bit?”

Apparently choices were hard with the amount of medication Cas was on, because the question had caused a cute little line to appear between the mans furrowed eyebrows. “Want you,” he whined. Dean chuckled a bit and started to pull the other man towards the open bathroom door he could see across the room.

“I'm right here, Cas. How about we get you cleaned up a bit and in some comfy clothes? That sound okay to you?” Castiel made a face but allowed himself to be led and maneuvered the way Dean wanted. Dean found a washcloth under the sink after a few moments of poking around. He wet it in the sink and wrung it out as he watched the firefighter in the mirror. He was leaning pretty heavily on the wall just inside the bathroom, so Dean sat him on the closed lid of the toilet. “Come on, Cas. Lift your arms for me, babe.” Obediently, Cas complied. Dean carefully worked the scrub top Cas was given at the hospital off, mindful of the fresh bandages and the tender wounds they protected. Dean worked the cloth over his chest and hands as best he could, stopping to rinse the cloth several times as it got too dirty. When he got to the back of Cas' neck the darker haired man pushed his face into Dean's chest, nuzzling and rubbing like a cat.

“Mmm. Feel so good, Dean. Don't stop. Please, Dean.” Dean smiled fondly down at the man attempting to become a feline against his chest. After a few moments letting him take comfort from his actions, the lighter haired man grasped the other man's chin and began to gently wipe the soot and sweat from his face. There was a ring that you could see where the outline of the SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) mask sat. That took a bit more forceful scrubbing, but it too came off. Dean knelt down in front of Cas and unlaced his boots. Pulling both those and the socks off, Dean picked them up and started out to the bedroom to get some clothes from the dresser. He tossed the socks into the hamper as he passed, Dean decided to start at the top and work his way down. The first drawer contained t-shirts, the second boxers and socks. He did take one of the softer shirts that seemed to be a bit bigger than the others. Opening the third drawer, Dean hit pay dirt! He chose a slightly heavier pair of flannel pajama pants because the nurse, Meg, told him Cas may have trouble keeping himself warm with the burns for a while. He turned around to return to the bathroom, but Cas had managed to remove his pants and was standing too close in just his underwear.

“Dude! Personal space, Cas!” Dean exclaimed. “I thought you were in there!” He shook his head. “Doesn't matter. Let's get you dressed and into bed.” He motioned for the Cas to raise his arms. He tucked the pants under his arm and helped Cas put on the shirt. The firefighter managed the arms okay, but his head got a little stuck. He gave a wide, delighted smile when his head popped free. Dean just rolled his eyes and smiled a bit as he helped pull it down. He quickly reached behind him to make sure the fabric didn't put any pressure on the bandages. Castiel squirmed a bit, settling the shirt into the best position. Dean flapped the pants a bit and after making sure they were facing the same way, knelt down to let Cas step into them. Cas tried to do what Dean wanted, but he kept losing his balance because he was giggling.

“Dean! Dean! Guess what?” Cas asked between laughing. Dean decided to change tactics. He stood up and guided the giggling man to the edge of the queen size bed.

“What, Cas? Go ahead and sit there for me, babe.” He pushed gently against Cas' chest to reinforce his request.

“No, Dean. You have to guess!” Cas whined. Dean winced a bit. Whining was one of his big turn offs. It annoyed him when people whined because it was rude and lazy. Whining was what children who could not express themselves yet did, not adults who had large vocabularies and the ability to communicate their feelings clearly. Cas' didn't know that though. As he picked up Cas' foot to put it through the first hole, Dean made his feelings on the matter clear.

“I don't like whining, Cas. You can say the same words without it and it means the same thing, sometimes more because of inflection and intonation.” Dean picked up the second foot and repeated the process. “Hmm. Did you take your pants off?” Dean asked, trying to figure out what Cas wanted him to guess without having any idea where to start. “Here, Cas. Scoot to the edge here. I am going to help you stand so I can pull these PJs up for you, alright?”

“You were on your knees, Dean.” Cas started giggling again. Dean rolled his eyes again, but he couldn't help the smile on his face. He grabbed Cas' hands and pulled him to his feet then reached down to pull up the flannel bottoms. When he straightened back up, they were standing too close to each other again, but this time Dean couldn't bring himself to care. They stood there breathing in each others' air and just gazing into the gorgeous eyes in front of them for a long time. Finally, Dean shook himself out of his trance-like state.

“You need to be in bed, Cas.” Dean moved them so he could reach across and pull down the smooth navy colored comforter to reveal the sky colored sheets underneath. “How do you want to do this, Cas?” he asked as he pushed down to see how soft the bed was. Dean groaned as his hand sank into the plush pillow top. Cas gasped at the sound Dean made and moved towards him as Dean moved to straighten up. Somehow their feet got tangled and they started falling sideways to the bed. They landed in a tangle of limbs, somehow managing not to jar any of the wounds on Cas' back.

“What the hell is going on here!” Gabriel shouted from the open door. Lucifer was standing behind him with his arms folded across his chest, a take-out bag dangling from the fingers of one hand. The men on the bed snapped their gazes to the doorway, blushing as they did.

“Dude, it's not what it looks like, I swear.” Dean quickly tried to reassure Cas' brothers. They both gave him looks of disbelief and mild disgust. “I was helping him into bed, but we got tangled. He is really clingy and really clingy right now.” The men relaxed their expressions as Dean untangled himself and stood back up. Dean thought they would all be okay until Cas opened his big fat mouth.

“Dean was on his knees!” Cas imparted to his brothers in a sotto voice then broke down in giggles again, wiggling around to find a comfortable position in the bed. Dean and Cas' bothers stared at each other in shock; Dean because of the way he told them and the brothers because of what was told to them. Gabriel started towards Dean, putting the bag of Gatorade and juices on the dresser as he passed in order to raise his fists into a fighting stance. Lucifer moved to intercept his brother and put himself between the two men.

“Hey! Cas says stuff without context when he is on these kinds of drugs, Gabe. Make sure he means what you think he means before you fly off the handle here.” Gabe nodded and backed away from his brother's restraining arm. Dean felt a rush of relief and was grateful that at least one of Cas' siblings was level headed enough to use common sense.

“I just lifted his feet into his PJs. He kept losing his balance.” Dean defended. “Thanks for taking my Mom home and picking up food.” He gave them a smile. 

After eating with Cas and his brothers and promising to stop by again the next day, Dean headed home for some sleep.


End file.
